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  • OPINION

    A call for animal rights

    Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 16/02/2012

    » The Year of the Dragon, which is this year, is believed to be a tough year for those born in the Years of Dog, Goat and Rabbit. However, every year is a difficult year for animals in Thailand since this country still lacks the law to fight cruelty against animals and better animals' lives. Worse, not all legislators see the importance of having such a law.

  • OPINION

    (Un)friendly greetings

    Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 19/06/2012

    » It is a tradition for people in many Asian countries to greet each other with queries like, "Have you eaten yet?" and "Where are you going?" Since Jan 22, 1943, the word, sawasdee, initiated by academic Phraya Uppakitsilpasarn, has become the official greeting in Thailand. Meaning good fortune and prosperity, it can be used in place of "good morning", "good afternoon", "good-day", "good evening" and even "goodnight". However, many Thais, in particular those upcountry, still greet each other the old way that refers to eating and whereabouts.

  • OPINION

    Spare a thought for others about you

    Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 14/08/2012

    » Last week I went to the cinema for the first time in six months. Unfortunately, six months hadn't changed anything, and I still had to witness _ rather endure _ the lack of etiquette on part of some movie viewers. As usual.

  • OPINION

    The other side of the coin

    Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 26/09/2012

    » For centuries, Thais have had a hostile attitude towards the people of Myanmar (formerly Burma) due to a long history of war between them. There is a deeply rooted feeling of bitterness that's been passed down from one generation to the next.

  • OPINION

    Laws of nature

    Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 08/11/2012

    » Next year should be the beginning of less difficult times for all creatures in Thailand since the country's first law to prevent cruelty against animals and improve their welfare is expected to come out. After eight years of effort by activists and politicians, the Animal Welfare Bill passed the first parliamentary reading last month and has to be approved on the second and third readings before taking effect. The whole process usually takes no more than 180 days.

  • OPINION

    Fuming over first-car scheme

    Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 27/12/2012

    » The worst is yet to come for Bangkok's traffic. Over the past few months, I have spent twice as much time as before stuck in traffic jams. Although I am not an expert, I believe this has something to do with the government's first-car scheme. The programme allows new car buyers to claim tax rebates of up to 100,000 baht per vehicle per person. Since its inception, more than one million new vehicles have been purchased, or about 30,000 new cars a day. By the end of this year, the number of the "first cars" is likely to exceed 1.2 million.

  • OPINION

    Double pricing headaches

    Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 05/02/2013

    » Perhaps it is boring and repetitive to discuss double pricing. Yet new experiences have prompted me to revisit this thorny issue once again. Sad but true, double pricing occurs frequently in Thailand, and other parts of the world, and is either accepted or grudgingly tolerated by many people. To me, it probably depends on different cultures and regulations in each country or area.

  • OPINION

    Opening our eyes to the plight of the blind

    Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 15/03/2013

    » Never before had I experienced and understood the difficulties faced by the blind until last week. My left eye became badly infected and had to be covered with a dressing for four days. Technically, I was temporarily half blind except when I sometimes felt so uncomfortable I tried to peek at things through the gap between the gauze and my cheek. To relieve some of the embarrassment about wearing a big gauze pad over my eye, I donned big sunglasses, even at night, during those four days.

  • OPINION

    Gaining through loss

    Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 18/04/2013

    » Last month I encountered the sudden loss of the most beloved person in my life _ my father. Despite being in a state of shock, I had to force myself to remain strong and move on. That hardest time brought me a lot of bad and also some surprisingly good memories. It was when I realised the meaning of true friendship. It was when I knew that some friends were more willing to lend me a helping hand than certain selfish relatives and that friendship is priceless.

  • OPINION

    Food for thought

    Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 23/05/2013

    » One evening last month, I went to a cinema on Sukhumvit Road to watch a Thai ghost movie. While waiting for the movie, I decided to have a quick dinner. Stepping into a fast-food restaurant and queuing up in front of a woman cashier, I was taken by surprise to see a young couple awkwardly using sign language with her. At first, I thought the couple was mute, but I was wrong.

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